MADRID — You might say Steve and Nicole Kerekes have really lived the World Youth Day experience.

The California couple met at World Youth Day in Denver in 1993, even though Steve Kerekes said that, at the time, he wasn’t particularly religious.

Today, the couple have seven children with one more on the way — and all of them are in Madrid this week for World Youth Day. Steve and his sister and a small team of coordinators and volunteer guides are responsible for bringing more than 2,000 people to Madrid for the event.

The organization is the San Diego-based Youth in Europe, technically a travel agency but one that is changing its name to JMJ Youth, and Kerekes is seeking nonprofit status for his company.

“This is what we do as ministry,” Steve said while the phone rings off the hook at their temporary offices in Madrid.

Nicole Kerekes and the kids have a Spanish nanny helping them out this week and taking them on some of the side excursions with other parish groups.

“We are excited to be here. It is a blessing to the city to see the youth singing on the trains, chanting and praying,” Steve Kerekes said.